Community College of Philadelphia and Thomas Jefferson University announce new and expanded partnership to support Philadelphia students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 21, 2026

Contact:
Antwon R. Martin
armartin [at] ccp.edu (armartin[at]ccp[dot]edu)
267.666.7881

PHILADELPHIA — Community College of Philadelphia and Thomas Jefferson University announced a new partnership today during a special signing ceremony on CCP’s Main Campus. The agreement creates new and expanded collaborations between Jefferson, Jefferson Health and Community College of Philadelphia.

“This partnership creates stronger, more seamless pathways for our students to advance their education, careers and futures,” said CCP President Dr. Alycia Marshall. “For 60 years, Community College of Philadelphia has helped students turn opportunity into achievement and Jefferson has long been a cornerstone of higher education and health care in our city. Together, we are connecting education, clinical experience and workforce opportunity in ways that will strengthen our students, our institutions and Philadelphia.”

The partnership establishes an overarching collaboration between CCP and Jefferson, spanning admissions, program-to-program agreements, tuition discounts, clinical experience training, and workforce development.

“At Jefferson, we understand the impact of collaboration in shaping an educational environment,” says Susan C. Aldridge, Ph.D., President of Thomas Jefferson University.  “We are thrilled to not only continue, but expand, this formal partnership with Community College of Philadelphia and continue welcoming the school’s students to Jefferson. These opportunities have already created pathways for students to continue their education and succeed in their future professional careers. We expect this to continue well into the future.”

The newly signed agreement expands existing collaborations between the two institutions and builds new formalized agreements. New agreements include an Enrollment Partnership Agreement that builds a pathway for students who complete CCP’s Respiratory Care Technology program to enroll in Jefferson’s Respiratory Therapy program, a Jefferson Health Enterprise-Wide Inbound Clinical Training Agreement for CCP students at Jefferson Health sites, and a Workforce Training Agreement that allows Jefferson employees to participate in entry-level CCP programs.

Already-established agreements provide academic offerings and scholarship opportunities for students at CCP as they continue their education at Jefferson’s East Falls campus, including dual admissions transfer agreements and an agreement that allows CCP staff, faculty, alumni, trustees and members of their immediate families to receive a reduced tuition rate at Jefferson.

During the signing ceremony, attendees heard from Dr. Alycia Marshall, president of CCP; Dr. Susan C. Aldridge, president of Thomas Jefferson University; Dr. Lisa Sanders, interim provost and vice president of Academic and Student Success at CCP; Dr. Geoffrey “Jeff” Cromarty, interim provost at Jefferson; and Dr. Andrew Thum, associate vice president for Nursing Operations at Jefferson Health and former CCP student.

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About Community College of Philadelphia 

Community College of Philadelphia is the largest public institution of higher education in the City of Philadelphia. With an open admissions policy, the College serves all who may benefit – regardless of age, income, or ability. For more than 60 years, the College has lived up to its mission and goals by providing educational access for over 800,000 Philadelphians, setting families, businesses and neighborhoods on the path of shared prosperity and opportunity. For information on the College's degree and certificate programs, workforce development strategies, and community engagement initiatives, visit ccp.edu and follow us on social media @CCPedu.

About Jefferson     

Jefferson is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. More than 65,000 people strong, Jefferson is dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, the College of Business, the College of Fashion & Textiles, and the College of Architecture, Design & Engineering, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 11 colleges and one school offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,700 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit healthcare systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 33 hospital campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans, through Health Partners Plans Inc., is a not-for-profit managed healthcare organization offering a broad range of health coverage options to more than 370,000 members for more than 40 years.